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Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

May 25, 2023 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

I have some easy ideas for Amazon Rainforest crafts and a fun bubble wrap patterned anaconda. And I have more ideas on my pages Rain Forest – Amazon, Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon, and Rainforest Amazon Activities for Kids.

Exploring the beauty and mystery of the Amazon Rainforest gives your child a chance to really dig in and learn a lot, spend extra time on their favorite parts, and can be enjoyed by everyone in the family.

You can focus on the flora or fauna, products that come from the rainforest, conservation, or the ecosystem.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

I have an easy and fun bubble wrap anaconda project for today that can be modified for everyone in the family, encouraging older children to make more complicated designs.

Creating your anaconda from craft foam instead of paper gives you a sturdier longer lasting rainforest craft that can even be taken outside.

Or perhaps in the bathtub, after all the scientific name for Anaconda is – Eunectes murinus, and it means “good swimmer” in Latin.

Rainforest Creature Facts

  1. The green anaconda is the largest snake in the world, the record being 33 feet long, 3 feet wide at its longest point, and almost 900 lbs.
  2. Anacondas are semi-aquatic, preferring the water, they are great swimmers, but will also climb trees in search of food and like to hang, waiting for prey.
  3. The rainforest is home to many carnivorous plants, that is plants that eat insects and small animals.
  4. Macaws are the largest species of parrot and are well known for their beautifully colored feathers.
  5. There is an amazing lizard, the common basilisk, that is known as the Jesus lizard. Why? Because it can run on water.
  6. Sloths spend 90% of their life hanging upside down.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Then, look at these rain forest crafts.

More Hands-On Rainforest Crafts

Make these Paper Chain Pythons and work on fine motor skills at the same time.

Sloths will forever get my vote as the cutest rainforest animal, just look at this Handprint Sloth Craft.

Not every craft has to look like what you think it should, there is much value in letting your child work through the process without working towards a perfect final product like in this Rainforest Process Art.

Rainforest Animals Do a Dot is a simple artwork that is ideal for when you need to give them a simple activity to work on.

I love these fun and colorful Twirling Parrots, they are a great rainforest craft to add to your list.

If you want to set the mood for a colorful rainforest unit study this DIY Tropical Garland makes for a great craft as well as a decor item.

These Amazon Orchids are a lovely way to learn about the Amazon Rainforest flora.

If you want something to create a simple diorama look with everything included in one box look at this 3D Amazon Rainforest Puzzle.

Then, look at these books for ideas for Amazon Rainforest crafts and animals.

16 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books & Resources

Add these rain forest animal books, games, and toys to round out your study of the animals of the rain forest.

All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest

This book explores the rainforest layer by layer and the creatures that make their home in each part of the rainforest.

Rainforest Animals (Who Am I?)

Which rainforest animal is a frog that uses its eyes to help it swallow its food? Which rainforest animal is a bird with a big, colorful bill? Let's learn more about rainforest animals such as sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and more! Read With You's Who Am I? series encourages children to be more curious about the world around them as they learn fun facts about animals from across the globe.

Over and Under the Rainforest

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series that includes Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt and Over and Under the Snow!Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world. Turn the pages of this beautiful and educational book to discover in words and mesmerizing illustration:

Animals like the slender parrot snake and the blue morpho butterfly.

The canopies where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call.

Capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms.

In the Rainforest (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

The rainforest is home to millions of plant and animal species. Some animals live high up in the trees, some crawl across the forest floor, and some tunnel underground, but they all depend on one another and the rain to survive. With colorful illustrations and fascinating diagrams from author-illustrator Kate Duke, In the Rainforest is a lively look at the most vibrant ecosystem on our planet. 

Anacondas (Rain Forest Animals)

This book introduces readers to the largest snake in the world: the anaconda. Readers learn about the life cycle, behavior, physical characteristics, and habitat of anacondas

Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals

Expanding the popular collection of animal books in the Learn to Draw Series, Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals will teach kids how easy it is to draw a variety of exciting and exotic creatures from around the world. Each project starts with a basic shape and progresses with simple-to-follow steps to a finished realistic final colored artwork. While they’re learning, kids will also discover fun facts about each featured animal.

The Rainforest Grew All Around

Imaginations will soar from the forest floor, up through the canopy and back down again, following the circle of life in this clever adaptation of the song “The Green Grass Grew All Around.” The jungle comes alive as children learn about a wide variety of the animals (jaguars, emerald tree boas, leafcutter ants, sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and bats) and plants (kapok trees, liana vines, and bromeliads) living in the lush Amazon rainforest. Delve even deeper into the jungle using sidebars and the three-page “For Creative Minds” educational section.

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

While it covers more than just the rainforest this is a fabulous resource to have on your shelves. You will find plenty of great pictures and information on many animals that live there- crocodiles, harpy eagles, monkeys, tapir , sloths,Jaguarundi, and the food web.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

Tells a story of a man who came to cut down a kapok tree and encounters many of the beautiful and exotic native creatures who make their home in the Amazon Rainforest.

Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

FUN FACTS: How about Reptiles versus Amphibians?!  That's just one of the topic cards in this kids card game.  Find out more fun facts from Eggs to the Komodo Dragon!

Hello, World! Rainforest Animals

This bright and exciting Hello, World! board book teaches toddlers all about the amazing world of a rainforest—with easy-to-understand facts about the incredible animals who make their home there.

Where Is the Amazon?

Human beings have inhabited the banks of the Amazon River since 13,000 BC and yet they make up just a small percentage of the "population" of this geographic wonderland. The Amazon River basin teems with life—animal and plant alike.

Canopy, Card Game, Features 25 Unique Species of Rainforest Animals and Plants

Compete to grow the most bountiful rainforest! Carefully select what grows in your forest, and give rise to a thriving ecosystem.

Afternoon on the Amazon

Vampire bats and killer ants? That's what Jack and Annie are about to run into when the Magic Tree House whisks them away to the Amazon River. It's not long before they get hopelessly lost. Will they be able to find their way back to the tree house? Or are Jack and Annie stuck forever in the rain forest?

Red-eyed Tree Frog (Scholastic Bookshelf)

NatureI n a tropical rain forest in Central America, a red-eyed tree frog spends the night looking for food while avoiding potential predators. Award-winning photographer Nic Bishop's larger-than-life, gorgeous images document the hunt, which ends happily with the frog settling down in the leaves to spend his daylight hours sleeping! Joy Cowley's simple, readable text makes the frog's story fun, interesting, and accessible to young readers.

Protecting the Amazon Rainforest (Saving Earth's Biomes)

Explores the richness of the Amazon rainforest, how humans have damaged it, and efforts being taken to protect it. Clear text, vibrant photos, and helpful infographics make this book an accessible and engaging read.

More Rainforest Activities for Kids

  • Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft
  • Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft
  • Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa
  • Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math
  • Cute Colorful Toilet Paper Roll Rainforest Frogs for a Rainforest Frog Craft
  • 18 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books and Fun Resources
  • Beautiful And Colorful Amazonian Rainforest Animals Lapbook For Kids
  • 100+ Best and Free Tropical Amazon Rainforest Educators Resources
  • The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest
  • 3 Free and Amazing Amazon Rainforest Lapbooks for Kids
  • Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey
  • 19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten
  • Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Then make this fun bubble wrap patterned anaconda.

Rainforest Crafts – Bubble Wrap Anaconda

You will need:

  • A large sheet of green craft foam
  • Bubble wrap
  • 2 to 3 paint colors.
  • Foam brushes
  • Scissors
  • A marker
Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Cut your bubble wrap to the same size or just slightly smaller than your foam sheet. I used large foam sheets-12×18, but you could also use construction paper or even a green poster board sheet.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Add 2 to 3 colors to your paint palette. A paper plate works wonderfully for this.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Then have your child dab the color all over the bubble wrap side and be sure to give it a good coating.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Turn the bubble wrap over and press it firmly all over the paper. You can press it by sliding your hands along but make sure you hold it in place, so it doesn’t smear.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Carefully lift the bubble wrap to reveal your snake scales.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Allow it to dry completely.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Flip your craft foam over and somewhere near the center draw a simple, triangular snake head. You can draw the entire coiled snake body if you like but I prefer to give it a little more freehand shape for the body.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Cut the head out first and then spiral around, cutting a shaped body from the head to the tail.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Use markers to put on round eyes with slits.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

Add a little forked tongue cut out of red craft foam and glue in place.

Because your anaconda is made of craft foam it is more durable and would be a fun part of outdoor play.

Fun Easy Amazon Rainforest Crafts and Make a Bubble Wrap Pattern Anaconda

1 CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: amazon rain forest, anaconda, animals, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, rainforest, science, snakes

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

May 24, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today, we’re learning about mammals in the Amazon Rainforest. And I have more ideas on my pages Rain Forest – Amazon, Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon, and Rainforest Amazon Activities for Kids

When you talk about the mammals in the Amazon Rainforest so many adorable and amazing animals come to mind- capybara, tapir, howler monkey, anteaters, jaguar, Brazilian brown bat, and a popular favorite, the sloth.

All these mammals are unique and important as a big part of the Amazon rainforest biome.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

There is so much to learn about them as well as preserving their habitat.

Too, we are making an easy no-sew sloth plush with a little hot glue, and some felt to add a crafty dimension to your studies.

Mammals of The Amazon Rainforest Facts

First, look at these facts about mammals of the Amazon Rainforest.

  • The primary predators of sloths are harpy eagles and arboreal cats like the jaguar.
  • Sloths climb down to the forest floor from their preferred hangout in the canopy to poop once a week.
  • There are more animal species living in the rainforest than in any other part of the world.
  • There are over 500 mammal species found in the Amazon rainforest alone.
  • The giant otter is one of the endangered species in the Amazon Rainforest due to poaching.
  • The capybara is the largest rainforest rodent but also the largest rodent on the planet and can weigh up to 200 pounds.
  • Amazon River Dolphins have the largest bodies and brains of any freshwater dolphin, and they are pink.
  • Giant Armadillos are listed as vulnerable status due to loss of habitat through deforestation and being hunted for their meat.
  • Ocelots are nocturnal and mainly consume small rodents but will also eat birds, and iguanas.

Then, here are some fun books about the Amazon rainforest.

16 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books & Resources

Add these rain forest animal books, games, and toys to round out your study of the animals of the rain forest.

All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest

This book explores the rainforest layer by layer and the creatures that make their home in each part of the rainforest.

Rainforest Animals (Who Am I?)

Which rainforest animal is a frog that uses its eyes to help it swallow its food? Which rainforest animal is a bird with a big, colorful bill? Let's learn more about rainforest animals such as sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and more! Read With You's Who Am I? series encourages children to be more curious about the world around them as they learn fun facts about animals from across the globe.

Over and Under the Rainforest

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series that includes Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt and Over and Under the Snow!Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world. Turn the pages of this beautiful and educational book to discover in words and mesmerizing illustration:

Animals like the slender parrot snake and the blue morpho butterfly.

The canopies where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call.

Capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms.

In the Rainforest (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

The rainforest is home to millions of plant and animal species. Some animals live high up in the trees, some crawl across the forest floor, and some tunnel underground, but they all depend on one another and the rain to survive. With colorful illustrations and fascinating diagrams from author-illustrator Kate Duke, In the Rainforest is a lively look at the most vibrant ecosystem on our planet. 

Anacondas (Rain Forest Animals)

This book introduces readers to the largest snake in the world: the anaconda. Readers learn about the life cycle, behavior, physical characteristics, and habitat of anacondas

Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals

Expanding the popular collection of animal books in the Learn to Draw Series, Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals will teach kids how easy it is to draw a variety of exciting and exotic creatures from around the world. Each project starts with a basic shape and progresses with simple-to-follow steps to a finished realistic final colored artwork. While they’re learning, kids will also discover fun facts about each featured animal.

The Rainforest Grew All Around

Imaginations will soar from the forest floor, up through the canopy and back down again, following the circle of life in this clever adaptation of the song “The Green Grass Grew All Around.” The jungle comes alive as children learn about a wide variety of the animals (jaguars, emerald tree boas, leafcutter ants, sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and bats) and plants (kapok trees, liana vines, and bromeliads) living in the lush Amazon rainforest. Delve even deeper into the jungle using sidebars and the three-page “For Creative Minds” educational section.

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

While it covers more than just the rainforest this is a fabulous resource to have on your shelves. You will find plenty of great pictures and information on many animals that live there- crocodiles, harpy eagles, monkeys, tapir , sloths,Jaguarundi, and the food web.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

Tells a story of a man who came to cut down a kapok tree and encounters many of the beautiful and exotic native creatures who make their home in the Amazon Rainforest.

Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

FUN FACTS: How about Reptiles versus Amphibians?!  That's just one of the topic cards in this kids card game.  Find out more fun facts from Eggs to the Komodo Dragon!

Hello, World! Rainforest Animals

This bright and exciting Hello, World! board book teaches toddlers all about the amazing world of a rainforest—with easy-to-understand facts about the incredible animals who make their home there.

Where Is the Amazon?

Human beings have inhabited the banks of the Amazon River since 13,000 BC and yet they make up just a small percentage of the "population" of this geographic wonderland. The Amazon River basin teems with life—animal and plant alike.

Canopy, Card Game, Features 25 Unique Species of Rainforest Animals and Plants

Compete to grow the most bountiful rainforest! Carefully select what grows in your forest, and give rise to a thriving ecosystem.

Afternoon on the Amazon

Vampire bats and killer ants? That's what Jack and Annie are about to run into when the Magic Tree House whisks them away to the Amazon River. It's not long before they get hopelessly lost. Will they be able to find their way back to the tree house? Or are Jack and Annie stuck forever in the rain forest?

Red-eyed Tree Frog (Scholastic Bookshelf)

NatureI n a tropical rain forest in Central America, a red-eyed tree frog spends the night looking for food while avoiding potential predators. Award-winning photographer Nic Bishop's larger-than-life, gorgeous images document the hunt, which ends happily with the frog settling down in the leaves to spend his daylight hours sleeping! Joy Cowley's simple, readable text makes the frog's story fun, interesting, and accessible to young readers.

Protecting the Amazon Rainforest (Saving Earth's Biomes)

Explores the richness of the Amazon rainforest, how humans have damaged it, and efforts being taken to protect it. Clear text, vibrant photos, and helpful infographics make this book an accessible and engaging read.

Also, look at these videos.

Mammals of The Amazon Rainforest Videos

Videos are a wonderful way to learn a lot about animals and get a close-up look at ones you may never see in person, whether in the wild or even at a zoo.

I found a great selection of videos on YouTube for you to enjoy together as a family.

  • Animals of Amazon
  • Sloths in The Amazon Rainforest
  • Wild Kratts Relaxing With Sloths
  • Swimming With Sloths
  • Incredible Facts About Capybara
  • Virtual Field Trip Amazon Rainforest
  • Rainforest Animals

Also, add some hands-on activities.

Hands-on Mammals of The Amazon Rainforest Activities

  • Check out this adorable Tapir Printed Craft.
  • Grab a map or globe and help your child identify where the Amazon rainforest is.
  • Create a beautiful diorama like this Rainforest Small World– AMAZON RIVER BASIN.
  • This anteater craft is great for your younger Amazon researchers.
  • Colorful printable Amazon Animal books for preschoolers offer some great facts and photos without having to invest a lot of money.
  • Keep kids moving with Amazon Rainforest Theme Gross Motor Cards.
  • Research and write about or make a diorama, science board display, or other craft to represent your animal. This Schleich Sloth is an adorable addition to dramatic play or dioramas.
  • While creating your fun craft you can watch videos and definitely include a fun reference book, I was able to find two wonderfully illustrated pages on sloths in Wildlife Anatomy as well as many other mammals of the Amazon Rainforest, animals like margay, jaguarundi, capuchin, tapir, capybara, and anteaters.
Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

And here are more rainforest activities for kids.

More Rainforest Activities for Kids

  • Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft
  • Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa
  • Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math
  • Cute Colorful Toilet Paper Roll Rainforest Frogs for a Rainforest Frog Craft
  • 18 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books and Fun Resources
  • Beautiful And Colorful Amazonian Rainforest Animals Lapbook For Kids
  • 100+ Best and Free Tropical Amazon Rainforest Educators Resources
  • The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest
  • 3 Free and Amazing Amazon Rainforest Lapbooks for Kids
  • Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey
  • 19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten
  • Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

Finally, how to make this adorable sloth craft.

How to Make a No Sew Sloth

You will need:

  • Brown felt
  • Cream felt
  • Tan felt
  • Black Felt
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue gun/sticks
  • Something round about 4”-5” wide
Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

For the main body of the sloth, I opted for a by-the-yard brown felt that was a little prettier than standard craft felt.

However, you can recreate the same design with the regular texture of craft felt as well.

Trace your round object on the backside of the brown felt.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

Cut out the circle.

Fold in half and begin to shape the head at one end, cutting through both sides like this.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

Cut out two arms/legs and trim as needed to shape your body a bit more.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

Open the felt and run hot glue along the edge on one half, quickly fold the other half over and press into the glue to close it up.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

Because the felt I bought was so plush I felt that I didn’t really need to stuff it.

But if you want to you can add some stuffing or a few of your felt scraps before gluing it up to give it a fuller belly.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

To create the face, fold a small piece of your cream felt in half and cut out a mask shape. You can measure it by holding it against the face of your sloth, trimming it as you need.

Cut tan felt into two small strips with a rounded end.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

Take the black felt and cut two little eyes, a nose, and a mouth, of course, he’s smiling, he is too cute not to.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

Assemble the face by gluing everything to the mask shape and then adhering to the head.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

If you like you can glue your sloth to a small branch, so he looks like he is hanging by folding the tip of his hands and feet over and securing them with glue.

I couldn’t resist cutting out a little green felt tropical leaf to add to his branch.

Learn About Mammals In The Amazon Rainforest & Make an Adorable Sloth Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: amazon rain forest, animals, crafts, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, life science, rainforest

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

May 23, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Today we’re learning about Blue Morpho Butterfly adaptations in the tropical rainforest and making a fun symmetry craft. And I have more ideas on my pages Rain Forest – Amazon, Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon, and Rainforest Amazon Activities for Kids.

And look at my page Free Kids Insect Unit Study for more hands-on activities.

If you have ever seen a book, video, or an image of the Amazon Rainforest chances are you have seen the bright flitting wings of the Blue Morpho in action.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Besides the fact that they are beautiful, the Blue Morpho butterfly adaptations in the tropical rainforest are an amazing design. 

From egg to full-grown glorious butterfly the Blue Morpho has developed ways to protect itself in all its stages.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest

Look at the adaptations.

Egg stage- Pale green blends into the leaf it’s been laid on.

Larval stage-Patches of bright yellow/green with patches of purple and large tufts of hair break up the shape of the larva and make it less of a target for predators. Too, the hairs on the caterpillar are irritating to potential predators. Also, they can adapt to eating different types of plants so if one is scarce, they don’t have to go hungry, and will sometimes eat poisonous plants to make themselves inedible.

Pupal/chrysalis- During this vulnerable stage the pupa turns to light or dark green to blend in with the leaves surrounding it.

Adult- The bright blue wings have several adaptations. When fluttering the flash of color startles possible predators and when at rest the wings are closed showing the dull brown underside. The dull underside helps to camouflage them. They are also very powerful and erratic fliers, helping them to avoid predators. Finally, they can lay a large number of eggs, ensuring their numbers increase.

Isn’t that amazing? No wonder it is one of the most represented creatures of the Amazon Rainforest.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

We had to create a craft to highlight this beautiful insect so we are going to make a Blue Morpho that can also be a lesson in symmetry as well.

8 Blue Morpho Butterfly Facts

  1. The Blue Morpho is one of the largest butterflies in the world and their wingspan is from five to eight inches.
  2. Only the males are blue and the females are generally various shades of brown, yellow, and black.
  3. The underside of the Blue Morpho Butterfly is a dull brown color with eyespots. This protects them by camouflaging them from predators when the wings are closed.
  4. Blue Morphos are severely threatened by the deforestation of tropical forests, habitat fragmentation, and by collectors.
  5. When the wings open and close in flight it looks as if the blue morpho is appearing and reappearing as it flashes from the bright blue to the dull brown underside.
  6. Blue Morpho butterflies’ diet depends on the life stage it is in. Caterpillars enjoy a variety of leaves but prefer plants from the pea family. However, the adult butterfly uses its proboscis as a drinking straw. It is used to sip the juice of rotting fruit, the fluids of decomposing animals, and tree sap.
  7. The Blue Morpho will fly through all layers of the forest from the forest floor all the way up to the emergent layer.
  8. The lifespan of this beautiful butterfly is just 115 days.

Also, look at these fun books and resources to study about the rain forest.

16 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books & Resources

Add these rain forest animal books, games, and toys to round out your study of the animals of the rain forest.

All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest

This book explores the rainforest layer by layer and the creatures that make their home in each part of the rainforest.

Rainforest Animals (Who Am I?)

Which rainforest animal is a frog that uses its eyes to help it swallow its food? Which rainforest animal is a bird with a big, colorful bill? Let's learn more about rainforest animals such as sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and more! Read With You's Who Am I? series encourages children to be more curious about the world around them as they learn fun facts about animals from across the globe.

Over and Under the Rainforest

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series that includes Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt and Over and Under the Snow!Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world. Turn the pages of this beautiful and educational book to discover in words and mesmerizing illustration:

Animals like the slender parrot snake and the blue morpho butterfly.

The canopies where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call.

Capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms.

In the Rainforest (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

The rainforest is home to millions of plant and animal species. Some animals live high up in the trees, some crawl across the forest floor, and some tunnel underground, but they all depend on one another and the rain to survive. With colorful illustrations and fascinating diagrams from author-illustrator Kate Duke, In the Rainforest is a lively look at the most vibrant ecosystem on our planet. 

Anacondas (Rain Forest Animals)

This book introduces readers to the largest snake in the world: the anaconda. Readers learn about the life cycle, behavior, physical characteristics, and habitat of anacondas

Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals

Expanding the popular collection of animal books in the Learn to Draw Series, Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals will teach kids how easy it is to draw a variety of exciting and exotic creatures from around the world. Each project starts with a basic shape and progresses with simple-to-follow steps to a finished realistic final colored artwork. While they’re learning, kids will also discover fun facts about each featured animal.

The Rainforest Grew All Around

Imaginations will soar from the forest floor, up through the canopy and back down again, following the circle of life in this clever adaptation of the song “The Green Grass Grew All Around.” The jungle comes alive as children learn about a wide variety of the animals (jaguars, emerald tree boas, leafcutter ants, sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and bats) and plants (kapok trees, liana vines, and bromeliads) living in the lush Amazon rainforest. Delve even deeper into the jungle using sidebars and the three-page “For Creative Minds” educational section.

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

While it covers more than just the rainforest this is a fabulous resource to have on your shelves. You will find plenty of great pictures and information on many animals that live there- crocodiles, harpy eagles, monkeys, tapir , sloths,Jaguarundi, and the food web.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

Tells a story of a man who came to cut down a kapok tree and encounters many of the beautiful and exotic native creatures who make their home in the Amazon Rainforest.

Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

FUN FACTS: How about Reptiles versus Amphibians?!  That's just one of the topic cards in this kids card game.  Find out more fun facts from Eggs to the Komodo Dragon!

Hello, World! Rainforest Animals

This bright and exciting Hello, World! board book teaches toddlers all about the amazing world of a rainforest—with easy-to-understand facts about the incredible animals who make their home there.

Where Is the Amazon?

Human beings have inhabited the banks of the Amazon River since 13,000 BC and yet they make up just a small percentage of the "population" of this geographic wonderland. The Amazon River basin teems with life—animal and plant alike.

Canopy, Card Game, Features 25 Unique Species of Rainforest Animals and Plants

Compete to grow the most bountiful rainforest! Carefully select what grows in your forest, and give rise to a thriving ecosystem.

Afternoon on the Amazon

Vampire bats and killer ants? That's what Jack and Annie are about to run into when the Magic Tree House whisks them away to the Amazon River. It's not long before they get hopelessly lost. Will they be able to find their way back to the tree house? Or are Jack and Annie stuck forever in the rain forest?

Red-eyed Tree Frog (Scholastic Bookshelf)

NatureI n a tropical rain forest in Central America, a red-eyed tree frog spends the night looking for food while avoiding potential predators. Award-winning photographer Nic Bishop's larger-than-life, gorgeous images document the hunt, which ends happily with the frog settling down in the leaves to spend his daylight hours sleeping! Joy Cowley's simple, readable text makes the frog's story fun, interesting, and accessible to young readers.

Protecting the Amazon Rainforest (Saving Earth's Biomes)

Explores the richness of the Amazon rainforest, how humans have damaged it, and efforts being taken to protect it. Clear text, vibrant photos, and helpful infographics make this book an accessible and engaging read.

Next, here are some more rainforest activities for kids resources.

More Rainforest Activities for Kids

  • Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa
  • Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math
  • Cute Colorful Toilet Paper Roll Rainforest Frogs for a Rainforest Frog Craft
  • 18 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books and Fun Resources
  • Beautiful And Colorful Amazonian Rainforest Animals Lapbook For Kids
  • 100+ Best and Free Tropical Amazon Rainforest Educators Resources
  • The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest
  • 3 Free and Amazing Amazon Rainforest Lapbooks for Kids
  • Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey
  • 19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten
  • Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts
Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Finally, create a beautiful double-sided Blue Morpho Butterfly craft which also demonstrates symmetry.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations in the Tropical Rainforest Symmetry Project

You will need:

  • White cardstock
  • Blue craft paint
  • White craft paint
  • Brown craft paint
  • Tan craft paint
  • Orange craft paint
  • Black craft paint
  • Paintbrush or paint pen
  • Scissors
  • Black chenille stem
Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Fold a piece of cardstock in half to create a crease and then open it back up.

Have your child squeeze blue paint all over one side of the paper.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Run a thin black line of paint down the center.

Close the paper and press the paint outward from the center until it has spread to nearly the edges of the page.

Open the page and allow the paint to dry completely.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Once dry, close the paper back up and cut out a butterfly shape.

You could just cut out a butterfly shape from the paper, to begin with, but I like to really saturate the page in paint and then create the shape.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Next, your child can either take black paint and make an outline all the way around the wings or just do one side. Then press the two sides together again so they are symmetrical. Let this paint dry as well.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Flip to the unpainted side and have your child cover one-half of the paper with brown and tan squiggles of paint.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Fold closed in the opposite direction so that your brown side is closed on itself and press the paint outward again.

Open and add a few black dots of black paint with a small bit of white on them to create the” eyes” on the underside of the blue morpho’s wings, on just one side.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Close the paper one last time and press gently to duplicate eyes on the opposite side.

Allow the paper to dry fully.

Add small details with markers or paint pens like the tiny white and orange dots along the black edge of the butterfly as well as the black vein lines throughout the wings and glue a pipe cleaner to the top to recreate antennae.

Blue Morpho Butterfly Adaptations In The Tropical Rainforest and Fun Symmetry Craft

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: amazon rain forest, butterflies, crafts, elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, life science, science

Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

May 22, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Your kids will love learning about the Amazon rainforest predators. And I have more ideas on my pages Rain Forest – Amazon, Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon, and Rainforest Amazon Activities for Kids.

The Amazon rainforest predators are bold, fierce, and cunning.

And they use different adaptations to survive and catch their prey.

They make a fascinating part of a solid Amazon rainforest unit. Study predator’s hunting range which goes from the water to the forest floor and all the way up into the emergent layer as they swim, run, slither, and fly to catch their prey.

Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

Grab a hands-on activity or two, learn a few new vocabulary words, and hunt up some predator fun with these resources I have gathered for you.

In addition, I have a simple pasta emerald tree boa craft for your child to create.

Amazon Rainforest Predators Facts

  • Poison dart frogs are one of the deadliest animals on earth. Although they are cute, their skin has enough poison in it to kill 10 adults.
  • The jaguar is the 3rd largest of the big cats and is the main predator in the rain forest and they feed on over 80 species of animals.
  • Green anaconda snakes are non-venomous but lethal because they suffocate their prey with their strong bodies.
  • The black caiman makes its home in the waters of the Amazon basin and is considered the biggest predator of the Amazon ecosystem. Reaching lengths of 20 ft long, they feed on a wide variety of birds, reptiles, fish, and mammals.
  • The giant otter is considered an apex predator in the rainforest. Giant otters are quick and strong, and cunning. Too, they have even been spotted killing and eating caiman and anaconda.
  • Harpy eagles, when full grown, are at the top of the food chain and have the largest talons of any eagle.
  • The Amazon Basin emerald tree boa is an arboreal species, it lives in trees, are nocturnal and have prehensile tails that grasp things, and can reach lengths of 6-9 ft.
Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

Amazon Rainforest Predators Vocabulary

Introduce some new vocabulary and spelling words to your child.

Here are a few key words and phrases that may come up during your study of Amazon Rainforest Predators to get started with.

  • Predator-an animal that naturally preys on others.
  • Prey-an animal that is caught and killed by another animal for food.
  • Food Chain- list of organisms in a habitat that shows their feeding relationships.
  • Food Web-interlocking pattern of food chains.
  • Carnivore- an animal or plant that eats the flesh of others.
  • Omnivore-an animal that eats both plants and animal materials.
  • Instinct- A natural born pattern of behavior.
Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

In addition, look at these books about the rain forest.

16 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books & Resources

Add these rain forest animal books, games, and toys to round out your study of the animals of the rain forest.

All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest

This book explores the rainforest layer by layer and the creatures that make their home in each part of the rainforest.

Rainforest Animals (Who Am I?)

Which rainforest animal is a frog that uses its eyes to help it swallow its food? Which rainforest animal is a bird with a big, colorful bill? Let's learn more about rainforest animals such as sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and more! Read With You's Who Am I? series encourages children to be more curious about the world around them as they learn fun facts about animals from across the globe.

Over and Under the Rainforest

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series that includes Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt and Over and Under the Snow!Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world. Turn the pages of this beautiful and educational book to discover in words and mesmerizing illustration:

Animals like the slender parrot snake and the blue morpho butterfly.

The canopies where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call.

Capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms.

In the Rainforest (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

The rainforest is home to millions of plant and animal species. Some animals live high up in the trees, some crawl across the forest floor, and some tunnel underground, but they all depend on one another and the rain to survive. With colorful illustrations and fascinating diagrams from author-illustrator Kate Duke, In the Rainforest is a lively look at the most vibrant ecosystem on our planet. 

Anacondas (Rain Forest Animals)

This book introduces readers to the largest snake in the world: the anaconda. Readers learn about the life cycle, behavior, physical characteristics, and habitat of anacondas

Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals

Expanding the popular collection of animal books in the Learn to Draw Series, Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals will teach kids how easy it is to draw a variety of exciting and exotic creatures from around the world. Each project starts with a basic shape and progresses with simple-to-follow steps to a finished realistic final colored artwork. While they’re learning, kids will also discover fun facts about each featured animal.

The Rainforest Grew All Around

Imaginations will soar from the forest floor, up through the canopy and back down again, following the circle of life in this clever adaptation of the song “The Green Grass Grew All Around.” The jungle comes alive as children learn about a wide variety of the animals (jaguars, emerald tree boas, leafcutter ants, sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and bats) and plants (kapok trees, liana vines, and bromeliads) living in the lush Amazon rainforest. Delve even deeper into the jungle using sidebars and the three-page “For Creative Minds” educational section.

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

While it covers more than just the rainforest this is a fabulous resource to have on your shelves. You will find plenty of great pictures and information on many animals that live there- crocodiles, harpy eagles, monkeys, tapir , sloths,Jaguarundi, and the food web.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

Tells a story of a man who came to cut down a kapok tree and encounters many of the beautiful and exotic native creatures who make their home in the Amazon Rainforest.

Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

FUN FACTS: How about Reptiles versus Amphibians?!  That's just one of the topic cards in this kids card game.  Find out more fun facts from Eggs to the Komodo Dragon!

Hello, World! Rainforest Animals

This bright and exciting Hello, World! board book teaches toddlers all about the amazing world of a rainforest—with easy-to-understand facts about the incredible animals who make their home there.

Where Is the Amazon?

Human beings have inhabited the banks of the Amazon River since 13,000 BC and yet they make up just a small percentage of the "population" of this geographic wonderland. The Amazon River basin teems with life—animal and plant alike.

Canopy, Card Game, Features 25 Unique Species of Rainforest Animals and Plants

Compete to grow the most bountiful rainforest! Carefully select what grows in your forest, and give rise to a thriving ecosystem.

Afternoon on the Amazon

Vampire bats and killer ants? That's what Jack and Annie are about to run into when the Magic Tree House whisks them away to the Amazon River. It's not long before they get hopelessly lost. Will they be able to find their way back to the tree house? Or are Jack and Annie stuck forever in the rain forest?

Red-eyed Tree Frog (Scholastic Bookshelf)

NatureI n a tropical rain forest in Central America, a red-eyed tree frog spends the night looking for food while avoiding potential predators. Award-winning photographer Nic Bishop's larger-than-life, gorgeous images document the hunt, which ends happily with the frog settling down in the leaves to spend his daylight hours sleeping! Joy Cowley's simple, readable text makes the frog's story fun, interesting, and accessible to young readers.

Protecting the Amazon Rainforest (Saving Earth's Biomes)

Explores the richness of the Amazon rainforest, how humans have damaged it, and efforts being taken to protect it. Clear text, vibrant photos, and helpful infographics make this book an accessible and engaging read.

More Rainforest Activities for Kids

  • Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math
  • Cute Colorful Toilet Paper Roll Rainforest Frogs for a Rainforest Frog Craft
  • 18 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books and Fun Resources
  • Beautiful And Colorful Amazonian Rainforest Animals Lapbook For Kids
  • 100+ Best and Free Tropical Amazon Rainforest Educators Resources
  • The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest
  • 3 Free and Amazing Amazon Rainforest Lapbooks for Kids
  • Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey
  • 19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten
  • Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts

Next, add some of these hands-on Amazon predators activities.

Hands-On Amazon Rainforest Predators Activities

Choose an activity to highlight one of these cunning predators from this list.

  • Create two mats by writing predator and pray at the top on construction paper, use plastic amazon animals to sort them into their proper categories.
Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa
  • Male a cute and simple Paper Plate Anaconda.
  • Colorful and fun Poison Dart Frog Printable.
  • Create a creepy crawly tarantula craft.
  • How cute is this Fuzzy Jaguar Craft?
  • Recreate the fierce Cardboard Crocodile..
  • Print and complete the Amazon Rainforest Food Web Printable.
  • Have your child pick one Amazon predator and create a project around it-diorama, paper mache, LEGO, report, or painting.
  • Include this video on the 10 Deadliest Amazonian Predators while you work on one of the hands-on activities above.

Amazon Rainforest Predators- Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

You will need:

  • Tube pasta
  • Bright green paint
  • Gallon ziploc bag
  • Pipe cleaners
  • White paint
  • Paintbrush
  • Hot glue gun/glue

Grab a handful of uncooked pasta and place it in a gallon storage bag. You can use any kind of larger diameter tubular pasta like penne, Cannelloni, or even Ditalini.

Squirt a couple teaspoons of paint into the bag on top of the pasta.

Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

Shake and knead the bag gently to massage to paint all over the pasta, be sure it’s well coated.

Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

Transfer pasta to a paper or baking sheet to dry and spread it out a bit so it doesn’t dry clumped together.

If it dries on paper it might stick, I stop this by rolling it around after a few minutes of drying time.

Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

Once the pasta is dry, thread it onto 2-3 pipe cleaners that have been twisted together end to end to make it if you want it.

Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

Use hot glue to secure the pieces on each end but leave the rest loose. I left at least 1” of extra space without painted pasta so the snake could be posed and moved around easily.

Paint a white line all the way down the back with a small paintbrush or a paint pen then make small marks down each side along the length of the snake to mimic the markings on the Emerald Tree Boa.

Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

 Finish off by using a marker to draw eyes one either side of the head and add slits for the eyes.

Amazon Rainforest Predators and Make a Fun Pasta Emerald Tree Boa

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: amazon rain forest, crafts, elementary science, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschoolscience, life science, rainforest, science

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

May 21, 2023 | 1 Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Look how to make these fun red eyed tree frog manipulatives to use for rain forest math. And I have more ideas on my pages Rain Forest – Amazon, Rain Forest – Animals of the Amazon, and Rainforest Amazon Activities for Kids

Besides, creating these adorable red eyed tree frogs can be used for a multitude of fun rain forest math activities.

This is a wonderful way to incorporate math with a matching theme into your rainforest unit study.

Also, you sneak in some science, fine motor skills, art, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

For example, if you are having your child create the frog manipulatives take a moment to research Amazon lily pads.

Rather than the typical small lily pad with a notch in the side, the Victoria Amazonica is the largest member of the water lily family.

And is a massive round shape with upturned edges which can reach up to 8 feet in width.

This is why we are going to create a perfectly round shape for our lily pads to go along with our red-eyed tree frogs.

Before jumping to some fun rain forest math, look at a few fun facts about red eye tree frogs.

7 Facts about Red Eyed Tree Frogs

  • They are nocturnal.
  • A red-eyed tree frog will change its skin color to blend in with surroundings.
  • The big red eyes are a defense mechanism.
  • Red eyed tree frogs are in the Hylidae family of frogs known as tree frogs.
  • They have bright leaf green bodies.
  • They are small, about 1 inch and have sticky pads on their toes and fingers.
  • The red-eyed tree frog has three eyelids.

9 Rain Forest Math Concepts

Next, look at some rain forest math ideas to add to your study for the day or your rainforest unit study.

1. Addition/Subtraction Rain Forest Math

The obvious way to use them for addition is to count them but there are many ways to mix it up to keep it from becoming boring. 

  • Take the green circles you cut out and write numbers or use dots to represent the numbers then have your child place the matching number of button frogs on the lily pad.
Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math
  • Write simple addition or subtraction problems on the lily pads and have your child use the frogs as manipulatives to solve the problem.
Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math
  • Roll dice to get your two numbers and use them to create addition or subtraction problems.

2. One-to-One Correspondence Rain Forest Math

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

Your youngest learners will first need to learn this skill to help them grasp the value of objects. Have them point to each one as they count-1,2,3, etc.

3. Number Line

Grab a piece of blue paper (for your Amazon River of course), cut it out in a strip and write out your number line 1-10 or make it higher by taping strips end to end if you need to. This is yet another way to practice addition and subtraction.

  • Have them start their frog on a particular number and have them add/or subtract by another smaller number.
  • For older children, you could even make negative numbers on the left side of the number line. 

4. Sorting

Have your child sort from

  •  largest to smallest or small, medium, large, or even just small and large.
  • They can even simply sort by color shade if you have a mix of light and dark green buttons, sorting colors is an important early math skill.

5. Arrays

Use your button tree frogs for multiplication. One of the ways we can teach the concept of multiplication is through arrays. Arrays are simply an arrangement of evenly spaced columns and rows to demonstrate a number.

  • For example, show 2×3 by placing two rows and three columns of buttons to equal 6.

6. Fractions

Create fractions with the frogs.

  • Lay out 4 frogs and have your child show you what ½ or ¼ of the frogs are.
  • Write fractions on the lily pads and use the frogs to figure them out.

7. Skip Counting

Lay out as many frog manipulatives as you like and have your child skip by 2’s or any other number by pointing to the objects, this helps make it a concrete rather than an abstract process.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

8. Number Chart

Use the frog manipulatives to move around on a 100’s chart to count, skip count, or find 1 less and 1 more.

9. Greater Than/Less Than

Draw an Inequality symbol on one of the lily pads and create problems by placing various amounts of frogs on either side.

Then, have your child turn the symbol to so that it is in the correct orientation.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

Also, look at this list if you want to add a few rain forest books or resources to your study.

16 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books & Resources

Add these rain forest animal books, games, and toys to round out your study of the animals of the rain forest.

All the Way Down: Amazon Rainforest

This book explores the rainforest layer by layer and the creatures that make their home in each part of the rainforest.

Rainforest Animals (Who Am I?)

Which rainforest animal is a frog that uses its eyes to help it swallow its food? Which rainforest animal is a bird with a big, colorful bill? Let's learn more about rainforest animals such as sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and more! Read With You's Who Am I? series encourages children to be more curious about the world around them as they learn fun facts about animals from across the globe.

Over and Under the Rainforest

Part of the critically acclaimed Over and Under series that includes Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt and Over and Under the Snow!Under the canopy of the rainforest hundreds of animals make their homes, but up in the leaves hides another world. Turn the pages of this beautiful and educational book to discover in words and mesmerizing illustration:

Animals like the slender parrot snake and the blue morpho butterfly.

The canopies where toucans and pale-billed woodpeckers chatter and call.

Capuchin monkeys who swing from vines and slow-moving sloths who wait out daily thunderstorms.

In the Rainforest (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

The rainforest is home to millions of plant and animal species. Some animals live high up in the trees, some crawl across the forest floor, and some tunnel underground, but they all depend on one another and the rain to survive. With colorful illustrations and fascinating diagrams from author-illustrator Kate Duke, In the Rainforest is a lively look at the most vibrant ecosystem on our planet. 

Anacondas (Rain Forest Animals)

This book introduces readers to the largest snake in the world: the anaconda. Readers learn about the life cycle, behavior, physical characteristics, and habitat of anacondas

Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals

Expanding the popular collection of animal books in the Learn to Draw Series, Learn to Draw Rainforest & Jungle Animals will teach kids how easy it is to draw a variety of exciting and exotic creatures from around the world. Each project starts with a basic shape and progresses with simple-to-follow steps to a finished realistic final colored artwork. While they’re learning, kids will also discover fun facts about each featured animal.

The Rainforest Grew All Around

Imaginations will soar from the forest floor, up through the canopy and back down again, following the circle of life in this clever adaptation of the song “The Green Grass Grew All Around.” The jungle comes alive as children learn about a wide variety of the animals (jaguars, emerald tree boas, leafcutter ants, sloths, poison dart frogs, toucans, and bats) and plants (kapok trees, liana vines, and bromeliads) living in the lush Amazon rainforest. Delve even deeper into the jungle using sidebars and the three-page “For Creative Minds” educational section.

Wildlife Anatomy: The Curious Lives & Features of Wild Animals around the World

While it covers more than just the rainforest this is a fabulous resource to have on your shelves. You will find plenty of great pictures and information on many animals that live there- crocodiles, harpy eagles, monkeys, tapir , sloths,Jaguarundi, and the food web.

The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest

Tells a story of a man who came to cut down a kapok tree and encounters many of the beautiful and exotic native creatures who make their home in the Amazon Rainforest.

Professor Noggin's Reptiles and Amphibians Trivia Card Game

FUN FACTS: How about Reptiles versus Amphibians?!  That's just one of the topic cards in this kids card game.  Find out more fun facts from Eggs to the Komodo Dragon!

Hello, World! Rainforest Animals

This bright and exciting Hello, World! board book teaches toddlers all about the amazing world of a rainforest—with easy-to-understand facts about the incredible animals who make their home there.

Where Is the Amazon?

Human beings have inhabited the banks of the Amazon River since 13,000 BC and yet they make up just a small percentage of the "population" of this geographic wonderland. The Amazon River basin teems with life—animal and plant alike.

Canopy, Card Game, Features 25 Unique Species of Rainforest Animals and Plants

Compete to grow the most bountiful rainforest! Carefully select what grows in your forest, and give rise to a thriving ecosystem.

Afternoon on the Amazon

Vampire bats and killer ants? That's what Jack and Annie are about to run into when the Magic Tree House whisks them away to the Amazon River. It's not long before they get hopelessly lost. Will they be able to find their way back to the tree house? Or are Jack and Annie stuck forever in the rain forest?

Red-eyed Tree Frog (Scholastic Bookshelf)

NatureI n a tropical rain forest in Central America, a red-eyed tree frog spends the night looking for food while avoiding potential predators. Award-winning photographer Nic Bishop's larger-than-life, gorgeous images document the hunt, which ends happily with the frog settling down in the leaves to spend his daylight hours sleeping! Joy Cowley's simple, readable text makes the frog's story fun, interesting, and accessible to young readers.

Protecting the Amazon Rainforest (Saving Earth's Biomes)

Explores the richness of the Amazon rainforest, how humans have damaged it, and efforts being taken to protect it. Clear text, vibrant photos, and helpful infographics make this book an accessible and engaging read.

More Rainforest Activities for Kids

  • Cute Colorful Toilet Paper Roll Rainforest Frogs for a Rainforest Frog Craft
  • 18 Rain Forest Animals For Kids Books and Fun Resources
  • Beautiful And Colorful Amazonian Rainforest Animals Lapbook For Kids
  • 100+ Best and Free Tropical Amazon Rainforest Educators Resources
  • The Ultimate Guide to the Flora and Fauna of the Amazon Rain Forest
  • 3 Free and Amazing Amazon Rainforest Lapbooks for Kids
  • Rainforest Crafts for Kindergarten: Make an Easy Paper Plate Monkey
  • 19 Fun Hands-on Rainforest Activities for Kindergarten
  • Rainforest Science Activities For Kindergarten Amazing and Fun Living Terrarium
  • Wildlife in the Amazon Rainforest – Create Fun Macaw and Toucan Crafts

Finally, look how to make cute red-eyed tree frogs to use to teach rain forest math.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

Rain Forest Math Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives

You will need:

  • Green buttons in various sizes
  • Red cardstock/construction paper
  • Hole punch
  • Craft glue

Additional items for activities:

  • Dice
  • Blue construction paper
  • Pipe cleaners
  • Gallon zippered bag

Gather as many green buttons as you think you will need. For younger children start with 10 for simple math problems. Once you get going the process is quick and you can have dozens made in no time.

Hole punch red paper two times for each button you have.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

Add a small slit down the center of each dot with a pen. You may find it easier to do this step after they are glued in place but either way is fine.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

Add two dots of glue and attach the eyes.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

Set aside to dry.

While the glue is drying on the eyes, trace a circle object about 3”-4” wide onto green construction paper to make lily pads. It’s up to you how many you cut but I recommend starting with 10. There are so many ways you can use these.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

Now, once your frogs are dry you can use them for math for multiple ages from toddlers up to kids working on multiplication and fractions.

You could also grab these cute and colorful Amazon frogs to use as manipulatives if you wanted to skip making them and still use the additional items we create with them.

 Pop all your supplies in a gallon ziploc bag to keep them together and then you also have a math pack that you can take on the go and practice with anywhere.

Waiting at the doctor’s office, or at a restaurant, or take them on a trip to the park for homeschool on a blanket.

Creating Fun Red Eyed Tree Frog Manipulatives for Rain Forest Math

1 CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: amazon rain forest, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, homeschool math, kindergarten, math

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